Electric switch handle



Jan-r 1940- H. J. BLAKESLEE 2,136,749

ELECTRIC SWITCH HANDLE 'F'iled Sept. 1-3, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE -Y blade switches, and more particularly to the A plurality of circuit conductors, both solid conductors being separated from each other by and the circuits properly connected to the dication of the arrangement of conductor conw h bl I as mp d of wo members. one

" nections that mustbemade in order that the cirblack and the other white; the a e o the euit correctly function, blade 2 as composed of two members, one red and In attaining this object the switch operating the other black; the hand e Of the blade 3 as handles are made of two or more complementary composed o tWO s. One green d e members of insulating material which are other white, and the handle of the'blade 4 as 25 tions of colors that will correspond to the identiing drawing as embodied in a four-pole single- Patented Jan. 9, 1940 2,186,749 ELECTRIC swl'ron HANDLE I Henry J. Blakeslee, Marlboro, Conn, assignor to r Ihe States Company, Hartford, Conn, 21. Connecticut statute corporation 1 Application September 13, 1938, Serial No. 229,679 (12% 2 Claims. "(01; 200-472) This invention relates to the handles, of knife two complementary members l2'and t3 of'insu lating material. These members may have any desiredoutline and onemember preferably has a tubular boss l4 that projects through an-open ing in the blade into a recess in the other mem- 5 her. The members are held together and clamped to opposite sides of the blade by a screw I5 that has a head [6 at one end and a nut IT at the other end, the boss 14 insulating the blade from the screw. If desired handles may be con- 10 neoted by filling tubes 18 and held together by long screws l9, as shown in Fig. 5, recesses being formed in the outer faces of the handle members for receiving the ends of the separating tubes. The handle members are made indifferent colors, 15 the colors preferably being those which are used to distinguish the circuits of so-called coded cables. x

i The drawing illustrates the handle of the handles of the bladesof multiple pole switches of this'class' wireand stranded wire conductors, for electrical light and power installations, are commonly incased in metallic or non-metallic sheaths and brought to switches in the form of cables, the

rubber or woven or braidedinsulating coverings. The insulating coverings are variously colored or provided with strands of different colors'in order that they may be distinguished from each other switches. v

The object of the present invention is the provision of simple, cheap and readily applied handles for switch blades which will give a visual incomposed of two members, one yellow and the other green. These or any other desired combinations of colors can be used.

With the handle members combined as illustrated, the terminal 2i of a black and white con- 39 ductor would be connected in circuit with blade I; the terminal 22 of a red and black conductor would be connected in circuit with blade 2; the terminal 23 of agreen and white conductor would be connected in circuit with blade 3; and the ter- 35 minal 24 of a yellow and green conductor would be connected in circuit with blade 4.

clamped to opposite sides of the swinging ends of the'blades. These members are made in quantities and are variously colored, and as desired are'ap'plied to the difierentblades in combinafying markings of the several circuit conductors to be connected and thus indicate how the circuit conductors should be connected to the switches.

The invention isillustrated in the accom'panythrow knife switch ofcommon construction.

Fig, l is a plan view of such a switch.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view on larger scale of an end of a 50 screws 1, that are mounted on, the insulating base 8. The free ends of the blades are adapted to be swung into and out of engagement with conducting ears 9 that have conducting lugs l0 and terminal binding screws H.

By employing the method described the conductor terminals can be correctly connected to applied.

40' blade of the switch with one member of the hanone side of a switch and the corresponding ter- 40 dle removed. i minals can be correctly connected to the oppo- Fig. 4 is a section on plane denoted by dotted site side of the switch, without any experimenta line 4--'4 on Fig. 3. tion, for the combinations of colors of the handle Fig. 5 is a section illustrating I a manner in members indicate at a glance the necessary conv '45 which'two handles may be connected so that two nections to be made to establish the required curblades may be opened and closed together. rent paths. This is particularly valuable where The switch illustrated has four switch blades I, the switches are used in connection with meters, 2, 3-, 4 that are pivoted to conducting ears 5 which as are many of this type of. switches. have conducting lugs 6 with terminal binding The handle members may be made in large I quantities of a variety of colors, and maybe at- The invention is not limited to a four-pole switch nor to the exact combination of colors for the handle members which is illustrated, nor need the handle members be combined in contrasting colors as, when desired they could be combined so that each handle would present a solid color, without departing from the invention. Other means than pigment colors may be used for contrasting the several handle members.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a switching means for a system of conductors having a plurality of wires, each of which is identified by two color markings for facilitating correct electrical connections, a plurality of switch blades one for each wire, and an individual handle for each switch blade composed of detachable ccnnected members, said detachable handle members being composed of insulating material, the respective colors of said members being identical with the color markings of the wire which is to be associated therewith.

2. A switch for a system of conductors having a plurality of identified wires connected to devices which demand correct connection of conductors thereto and which require at times interruption of the electrical circuits leading there to, said identified wires being distinguished from one another by color markings, comprising a plurality of pairs of terminals insulated one from another, a plurality of switch blades of which each is pivoted to one terminal in pair and is conductively engageable with the other terminal of a pair, said pluralities including a pair of terminals a switch blade for each identified Wire, and a plurality of handles including one for each blade; each said handle being composed of detachable insulating members of colors identical with the color markings for the correspondic tified wire, said detachable insulating members bein interengaged with one another and with the corresponding switch blade to provide a protecting, enclosing, insulating handle structure around the end of the blade, and means for securing said members upon the switch blade, said securing means passing through the blade and being spaced therefrom by an interposed portion of the in ulating handle structure.

HENRY J. BLAKESLEE. 

